Harry Potter and the real Philosopher

A University philosopher claims that J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books tap into 'great' English literary tradition of Dickens, Austen and even Shakespeare's plays. But does this tradition reflect the reality of human existence and character, as many authors have claimed' Professor Greg Currie thinks not. Greg Currie, of The University of Nottingham's Department of Philosophy, delivers his 'Potter philosophy' in a video which coincides with the release of the final Harry Potter film, just out in UK cinemas. Professor Currie argues that the Potter books are a modern parallel of Charles Dickens' classic tales such as Oliver Twist. Their phenomenal success lies in their vivid portrayal of people in testing times. But the message of such stories—that character triumphs over circumstance—is probably wrong. The parallels between Twist and Potter are easy to see.
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